Tokyo 2021 Olympic Observations

Once every four years (in this case, five), I find myself waking up at 4 am to watch a women’s soccer game or beach volleyball. Welcome to the Olympics, when people who are household names and those who are unknown, all with stories, emerge as heroes. It is thrilling to watch unfold, and I cannot stop watching! I’m sure my observations here are similar to what I expressed watching the Rio Games in 2016, but I thought they were worth sharing.

We are a few days into the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics (or so say most of the signs I’ve seen), and I’m having trouble with the multiple places where sports are televised and with the time zones. I started watching a women’s soccer game the other day and realized it took place several days ago, so, no, the USWNT was NOT losing to Sweden AGAIN. I can watch the next game around 5 AM tomorrow. Fine, since I will probably be awake anyway.

The Opening Ceremonies were bizarre, with no one in the stands and the athletes all masked up.  I’m still conflicted as to whether even having the games is a good idea. As you will see, I watched anyway.

I am watching other sports that I never get to see and find them very entertaining. Rugby, for example. You can be on the ground and the play still isn’t over!

I caught a bit of women’s water polo the other day, where the US trounced the opposition. I had no idea whether scoring 25 times was the norm. What goes on under the water that you can only see with a special camera shows these players pushing, shoving and grabbing each other. It’s like watching rugby!

I watched some men’s and women’s handball, a sport like soccer except that you CAN use your hands on the ball. It’s also like basketball, which made me want to call traveling more than once as the players moved around with the ball.

This 3x3 basketball is fast and exciting, but how is this different from pick-up hoops in the park – except that the players wear uniforms? Congrats to the USA Women’s team for picking up the first-ever gold medal in that sport.

The triathlon is crazy! Swimming, biking and running. I would need a change of clothes and a couple of days (along with public transportation) to get through the course. How do they get those shoes on so fast after the initial swimming leg of the race, as they jump on their bikes?

Those badminton and table tennis players are VICIOUS! These are not your backyard or basement sports. They SLAM that shuttlecock and ping pong ball at each other!

Each Olympics, the swimmers play a big role. Katie Ledecky is on TV everywhere. But fame is fleeting; I had to look up the name of the last “It” girl for the US, because I couldn’t remember Missy Franklin.

The physiques on the swimmers are like giant Vs – broad shoulders, narrow waists and long arms. And, unlike the last Olympics, I didn't see any swimmers with those "cupping" marks all over their bodies. Maybe that technique just didn't deliver the desired results.

I had the TV on when the taekwondo people came out, but they were still wearing bathrobes, so I figured they weren’t ready yet. Or was that jujitsu?

You can’t call the Russians the Russians anymore since they were caught doping (old news…), so now the athletes compete for the Russian Olympic Committee, or ROC. Like we don’t know who’s who (wink, wink).

I could NEVER play beach volleyball. I understand that the sand is burning hot, and there are just two people on each side. The women wear skimpy bikinis, which I think it just WRONG. Put them in shorts and a fitted shirt so when they hit the burning sand, they will be protected.

Women’s soccer is exciting, but there is SO MUCH PRESSURE on the US team to win – again. This time they took home the Bronze Medal, and with so many players aged 35 and above, it is likely that the National Team will include many new faces in the future. Thank you, RU's own Carli Llyod, for your magnificent career, capped by scoring two goals in what might be her final game. What am I supposed to do at 4 AM now that soccer is done? 

The weather reports said that there was a typhoon possibly heading to Japan, so some of the rowing events had to be moved up so the water wouldn’t be too choppy for them to compete. But surfing, new to the Olympics, was thrilled at the prospect of big waves.

I watched a little bit of softball, which barely resembles the game I used to play. Those women can sure put some mustard on the ball! And by the way, why was softball eliminated from the Olympics a while back? Now it’s back, but it is a bona fide sport that should never have been sidelined.

Skateboarding is making its Olympic debut. The competitors all look like guys hanging around the park, and the tricks they do they could have practiced at the entrance to the J&J complex in New Brunswick, where skateboarders loved jumping over the stairs and hitting the railing before the security team could chase them away.

While I wasn’t expecting Bob Costas or Matt Lauer to show up as studio hosts this time around, I was struck by how many British accents there were from commentators and hosts I have never seen previously. Did you notice, too?

What does Tim Daggett (the gymnastics analyst) do between Olympics? They have been dragging him out since he competed for the US in the 70s. Oh, and one country has a gymnast who is in her 8th Olympics at age 49. I can’t imagine spending most of my life in a leotard.

I also can’t imagine having the amount of pressure and hype that some of these athletes have. They train for years to run or swim for scant seconds to win medals. To see local NJ girl Sydney McLaughlin, an alum of Union Catholic High School (where some of my friends went) not only take the gold in the women’s 400-meter hurdles but set a new world record was so exciting. Sydney is only 21 and who knows if we will get to see her defend her title in Paris in three years? Oy, the pressure!

I wonder who will be on the box of Wheaties. It could be Jersey girl Sydney McLaughlin. Or all-time Olympic track medalist Allyson Felix, who now is the holder of 11 – count ‘em, 11 – Medals. On Sydney’s 21st birthday, she teamed up with Felix, Athing Mu and Dalilah Muhammad to capture the Gold Medal in the women’s 400-meter relay. The win moved Felix to the top of the list of track and field medal winners. When you consider the likes of Carl Lewis, the late, great Flo Jo, Jackie Joyner-Kersey and so many other outstanding track athletes, you have to stand in awe of what Felix has accomplished. At age 35, after having given birth to a daughter and suffering from serious complications. she was offered a significantly reduced contract by her sponsor, Nike. So, she started her own shoe company, which will make shoes for women, designed by women. Then she competed in her 5th Olympics, won two medals at the games and made history. Or is it HERstory?

How on earth do synchronized divers stay in sync? And why do the divers have such tiny towels? They get wet, so don’t they need something larger than a washcloth?

I marveled at the choreography and skill of the artistic swimmers, who can toss each other way up in the air, where the flyers reenter the pool with grace and beauty. These ladies can hold their breath while they perform routines upside down! I’m going to suggest to my aqua aerobics group that we all order the same bathing suits, slick back our hair and give it a try!

I have never watched any of the equestrian events, but this year, well, you know: Jessica Springsteen, daughter of Bruce and Patty Scialfa, competed and took home a silver medal in a show jumping team event. The horses are amazing, soaring over fences (I don’t know the official name) that are really high, and sometimes doing several jumps right in a row. But I also wonder, aside from tradition, what’s the point of the riders wearing those cutaway jackets and ties?

Rhythmic gymnastics is intriguing. The athletes use 20-foot long, colorful ribbons and what looks like hula hoops or balls that they toss high into the air and have to catch gracefully after doing difficult floor routines. The ribbons have multiple colors and look beautiful as they move swiftly through the air. How does one get started in this event?

Why does one indoor volleyball player wear a uniform different from his teammates? Did he forget to pack the right one? And why do the team volleyball players and even the beach volleyball players have to hug after every play? Is this the volleyball equivalent of a football huddle? Anyway, the USA women’s beach volleyball team and the indoor volleyball team each had a happy ending and won the Gold Medal.

I loved the American marathon runner Molly Seidel, who, after winning the Bronze medal, told her family watching at home to “drink a beer for me.” It was just her third marathon EVER! To get to the Olympics, she had to overcome OCD and an eating disorder that caused her to miss trying out for the Olympics in 2016. Somebody give that woman a beer!

Congratulations to the USA Men’s and Women’s basketball teams for taking the Gold Medal in their events. The women’s team captured its 7th consecutive Gold Medal, and team stalwarts Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi took home their 5th golds. USA Coach Dawn Staley has now won as a coach, an assistant coach and as a player who took home three Gold Medals. The Japanese team they defeated in the finals played fast and exciting basketball but suffered significantly from a height differential and could not stop big Brittney Griner, who poured in 30 points from the paint. The men’s team, without such marque names as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Ja Morant, Kwaii Leonard and others, still outclassed the field to take the Gold and showcased so many up and coming stars. One thing for sure is the rise of international players in this game. There’s plenty of talent out there, and we may never see this level of dominance again.

In the first week of competition, Simone Biles, the GOAT (greatest of all-time) of women’s gymnastics, withdrew from team competition with what was called a “medical issue.” Later, she explained that it has to do with her mental health. Imagine being on the cover of every magazine, the center of attention in the Olympics and in your sport, always expected to be perfect. She also admitted to suffering from “the twisties,” where she could not determine where she was in the air. My heart races just watching her. If she never does another somersault or handstand or impossible vault, she will still be the best who ever lived in her sport. She did come back to take the bronze medal on the balance beam, which has far fewer spinning movements, especially since, as she explained, she downgraded her dismount. I hope she can take the time to appreciate her accomplishments and fill the rest of her life with great joy and satisfaction. May she have as much joy as she has given others. Meanwhile, her situation opened the door for her teammates, who took home many medals that they worked hard for and deserved. In an interview on the “Today Show,” with the team members gathered, they were asked who their role models are. Simone offered Naomi Osaka, Venus Williams and LeBron James. Her teammates unanimously named Simone Biles as their role model.

And that’s a wrap on the Tokyo Olympics. As Diana Taurasi quipped as she left the basketball court with her 5th Gold Medal, “See you in Paris!”

Tina's July 2021 Movies & More

There was much more in the "& More" section this time, as my screen time was devoted to long series and watching the Olympics. The rating scale is 1-5 cans of tuna, and more is better. Numbering picks up from previous months and programs not seen previously are marked with an asterisk.

94.  Summer of Soul* (2021, Hulu) – In 1969, men were landing on the moon. Hippies were descending on Woodstock for a historic music festival. And in a park in Harlem that summer, some of the best Black musicians and performers entertained the locals with their special brand of soul. There was 19-year-old Steve Wonder, banging on the drums. The Staple Singers and other gospel groups took the onlookers to church. Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Chambers Brothers, The Fifth Dimension, David Ruffin of the Temptations and Sly and the Family Stone took everybody higher. And Nina Simone made her music stand out and stand up. In this gem of a documentary, made from film shot and saved but never shown for 50 years, musician and producer Questlove tells the story of the summer of soul. Come for the music but stay for the culture and the history that only the people who attended got to experience first-hand. It’s about time. 4 cans.
95.  The Hero* (2017, Prime Video) – The film stars septuagenarian Sam Elliott and his iconic mustache as Lee, an actor best known for the cowboy movie he made 40 years ago. He busies himself with commercial voiceovers when he’s not smoking weed with his friend/dealer (Nick Offerman). When he is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the obstinate actor refuses to share the news with his ex-wife (played by Elliott’s real-life wife, Katharine Ross) or his estranged daughter (Krysten Ritter). Finally, he confides in Charlotte (Laura Prepon), a much-younger woman who shares the same drug dealer when she’s not performing stand-up comedy. Who knew when they started dating that Lee would become part of her act? Elliott plays this part to perfection, with minimum dialog and his trademark expression – head down, glancing sideways, looking dismissive and dubious. The relationship may have a May-December aspect, but there is mutual respect and fondness.  I liked it. 3½ cans.
96.  City in the Sky* (2016, PBS Documentaries Channel) – After watching this three-part series about flying, I’m not sure whether to be more confident about safety in the skies or more scared.  With more than a million people in the air at any time, airplanes today are purported to be safer than cars – although the fender-benders are probably easier to survive than a plane crash. This series covers every aspect of air travel, from what happens once you check your luggage to inspecting the runways between flights for any kind of debris that could cause a catastrophic disaster. The systems devised to move that many airplanes and passengers have to be topflight, and the people interviewed here all take tremendous pride in and responsibility for their work. You can watch landings and take-offs in the coldest airport in the world, experience the twisting, narrow approach to an airport in Bhutan, and observe a huge auction for the thousands of bags that are either lost or left behind each year. 4 cans, which makes me a certified nerd.
97.  Sophie: A Murder in West Cork* (2021, Netflix) – French TV producer and socialite Sophie Toscan du Plantier was staying at her home in Schull, County Cork, Ireland, in 1996 when she was beaten to death, her body found on a road near her house. With no DNA and only circumstantial evidence available, finding the killer and bringing that person to justice was a challenging task for the local police, who had not dealt with a homicide in more than 100 years. The gossip around town pointed toward a local man but getting enough evidence or a confession from the suspect proved difficult. If you like your mysteries wrapped up in a neat package with a bow on it, this three-part documentary is not for you. It captured my attention, so to speak. 3½ cans.
98.  Tiny House Hunters* – (HGTV on demand) – This series (4 seasons, and I watched them all) falls under the “& More” section of this blog. Wouldn’t we all like to scale back, clean up our houses and get rid of stuff we really don’t need? This series focuses on people who are looking to live in a “tiny house,” a dwelling of less than 500 square feet. They have various reasons – economics and wanderlust are two – but not all of them have thought through this drastic move logically. I mean, if you have a large sectional sofa or three big dogs, do you think that a home of 350 square feet is a good choice? Do you want to climb a ladder to get into a sleeping loft where you can barely sit up without banging your head? When the only closet wouldn’t be big enough to store a winter coat? Some of these folks are ridiculously fussy about style: They want a rustic look or something that looks colonial. Seriously? The show takes them to see three choices, ranging from houses on wheels that can be moved (though not always easily) to things like a shipping container with very limited windows and even a 150-square-foot shed. (I yelled at the TV, “Don’t choose the shed!” but she did anyway.) The clever design of some of these “homes” allows storage under stairs, but if you are doing this because you like to go camping or skiing, where are you planning to stash your gear? Or your kids? Or your piano? If you need a separate office, you won’t find one in a tiny house that costs $10-50,000! I’d love to see the follow-up to this series, revisiting the people who moved into the shipping container or storage shed to see if they are still there and how they are managing. 3½ very small cans.
99.  Nashville (2012-2018, Hulu) – No, this is not the Robert Altman movie. It is the TV show that ran for six seasons and focused on people in the country music business, centered around Nashville. Initially the story of revered, veteran country music queen Rayna James (Connie Britton) and her upstart young rival Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere), this is an ensemble show, so there are plenty of roles and plots and drama as the interconnected stories and characters evolve. In addition to Rayna, there’s Deacon Claybourne (Charles Estin), the guitar-playing love of her life, who complicates and complements Rayna’s quest to stay on top of the country music biz. It is impossible to provide plot lines succinctly and without spoilers, so I’ll just say that the characters and most of the stories held my attention and that the music, all of which is performed by the actors, is terrific. When this show moved from network TV to CMT on cable, I subscribed to a package just so I could watch it (and immediately cancelled it each time the season ended). Seeing it again all the way through (about 100 episodes) was a tall order, but it was like seeing old friends. 4 cans.
100.  Naomi Osaka* (2021, Netflix) – This 3-part Netflix documentary (about two hours total) is the story of women’s tennis champion Naomi Osaka, the first Asian woman ever to be the world’s number 1 player. Bursting on the scene with an upset win over Serena Williams, the reigning Queen of Tennis, Osaka captured the US Open in 2018 in a memorable match. The footage includes her subsequent defeat of up-and-comer Coco Gauff, when Osaka graciously tells the weeping teenager to take part in the post-match on-court interview. Since this movie was completed, Osaka declined to do after-match interviews (at the French Open), taking a stand for her mental health. Osaka comes across as a player not afraid to work hard to achieve her on-court victories, but she doesn’t appear to get the full measure of joy you would expect. Her wry smile or expressionless face reveals a woman who hates to lose but doesn’t fully enjoy the victories, either. Off the court, her life is an endless series of photo shoots and fashion and obligations that she doesn’t seem to enjoy, either. I’m not criticizing this young and dynamic champion because her behavior doesn’t conform to our impression of a winner. Her answers are thoughtful and measured, and they seem genuine and truthful, even as she reluctantly agrees to give them. I’m left to wonder what message she wanted to convey by participating in this documentary in the first place. 4 cans.
101.  Catch & Kill* (2021, HBO) – Journalist Ronan Farrow spent more than a year investigating the claims of sexual assault against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, coaxing reluctant victims to share their stories. When NBC refused to air his in-depth story – the implication being that the powerful Weinstein had friends in high places at NBC – he took it to The New Yorker magazine, where braver editors ran the piece. Eventually he published the well-researched story as a book, which I read. The acts of Weinstein, who has since been convicted of many of the crimes, were despicable, but equally despicable is the extent to which Weinstein and his team went to prevent the women from talking. Here, Farrow puts together filmed podcasts that include many interviews with the reluctant victims, but he goes on to make himself and his persecution by Weinstein’s secret network of spies much more central to the story. I thought the book was disturbing but extremely well written and researched, but I think that after a magazine story, a book and now this six-part documentary, Farrow should take his talents to another subject. He’s become the story instead of the reporter. 3½ cans.
102.  This Changes Everything* (2021, Netflix) – This documentary is almost a companion piece to “Catch & Kill” (see above), focusing not on the sexual harassment of women in show business but on their systematic exclusion from all facets of Hollywood. Instead of relying on the anecdotal information of how few women are hired to direct TV and movies, the women in this movie collected the data, which show a gross underrepresentation of women in every category – behind and in front of the camera. To me, what changed everything (and lawsuits didn’t) was the success of Shonda Grimes, a Black woman who not only hired women, but made her “Grey’s Anatomy” series reflective of a diverse population. Success breeds success, so now there are more women in roles other than the kooky neighbor or sexy girlfriend, and there are women running shows and hiring staff. Tellingly, not one studio head agreed to be interviewed for this documentary. Hopefully, we are making strides so that talented women like Shonda Grimes and Reese Witherspoon (who formed her own production company to find and produce women-centric programming) will continue to succeed and a whole new group of talented women will get the chances they deserve. Credit to Gena Davis of “Thelma & Louise” fame for getting the conversation rolling with the statistics needed to prove the point. 3½ cans.
103.  Dream Horse* (2021, rented on Apple TV+) – A man walks into a bar…Actually, that IS what happens in this heart-warming movie based on a true story of the people in a tiny Welsh town who form a syndicate to buy a racehorse. The man who walks into the bar (Damien Lewis) once owned a racehorse, so he knows it is an expensive and dicey proposition.  But Jan (Toni Collette), a local housewife who works there, perks up her ears, does her research and finds a brood mare. She can’t afford to buy a horse, but the local townspeople have nothing exciting going on in their lives, so they all chip in. It’s not long before the mare gives birth to a foal they name “Dream Alliance,” the name chosen to reflect the group of owners. What’s the chance he will ever get to race, no less win? I think you can figure that one out, but it is worth watching anyway. Dream on! 3½ cans.

July 2021 Jollies

Simone Biles recently won an ESPY Award for her remarkable gymnastics championship performance. She is truly an amazing athlete. Meanwhile, I pulled a muscle in my leg while turning over in bed. Otherwise, we have so much in common.

A friend showed me the special meditation chair she has in her house where she sits daily to mediate. I couldn’t help but think that in this house, I should have a special medication chair where I could go and take all of my daily meds.

Remember when you used to buy a package of hotdogs and a package of rolls and there were eight of each in the packages and you were all set? Then the hotdog makers decided to keep the package size the same but only put seven hotdogs in the package – as if we wouldn’t notice – and not drop the price. And you got stuck with that one extra roll that you didn’t know what to do with. Well, I bought my first package of hotdogs in more than a year and now the package is down to six – even though it appears to be the same size as the original eight, and so now there are two extra rolls which will end up in the freezer, I guess. What’s next?  A single hotdog in a giant package? In the words of The Who, “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” 

I watched the Nathan’s Hotdog eating contest from Coney Island on July 4 and was shocked to see that the eventual winner downed 46 dogs in the same time it took me to eat one half of my Bumble Bee Tuna sandwich! These people don’t eat – they devour. And they soak the buns to make them go down faster. It is actually disgusting, yet somehow compelling, to watch on TV.

Finally! After 2 years, one shoulder surgery, tons of physical therapy and a global pandemic, on July 5 I returned to my aqua aerobics class and played aqua volleyball in the pool. The class was aqua Zumba, which isn't quite the "Zooming" I have been doing online, and I won't be invited to compete on “Dancing with the Stars,” but I'm BACK!

Every summer, Sirius Radio replaces Channel 70 – The Love Station – with “Yacht Rock Radio.”  I don’t know what Yacht Rock Radio is supposed to mean, but it seems to be a compilation of every song by Christopher Cross, Orleans, and England Dan & John Ford Coley. I promise you won’t find a single tune from The Temptations, Bruno Mars or any artist with the word “Lil” in his name. Why don’t they just call it “Bland White Radio?”

I have often wondered how companies make those teeny, tiny pretzels that you get on an airplane. They are so small they make mini-pretzels look big by comparison. Not only are they small (about the size of my thumbnail), but there are so few in the package! You would have to eat 20 packs to feel any degree of satiation. Not that you would want to eat that many of the tiny treats.

Under the category of “I can’t help myself,” I felt obliged to point out to the waitress that chocolate was misspelled on the menu (it appeared as “chocholate”).  If I really wanted to be a pain in the butt, I would have mentioned that olive oil is not spelled “loive” oil. I restrained myself once, but I had to say something about chocolate. I’m only so strong.

Speaking of chocolate, you all know that I am retired and have no interest in getting a job. But I have to admit that when LinkedIn alerted me to a position as Global Communications Director for Godiva Chocolatiers, I had to look twice. They could just pay me in chocolate!

And finally on the chocolate front, the news is out that Oreos will now come in two new flavors – in case I wasn’t already tempted by the myriad of varieties already available. The new Oreos are apple cider donut  and salted caramel brownie, so not strictly chocolate.

I saw an ad from Kohl’s that said, “Baby sale,” and I wondered how much they cost and what the return policy was.

I recently had to book a room in a hotel. Their phone message tries to convince you to do your own reservation online because all of their “reservationists” are busy helping other customers. “Reservationists?” That’s a new one on me!

Here’s a thing I didn’t know: Apparently many people (especially millennials) do not use a top sheet, and they are adamant about it. I, on the other hand, can’t sleep unless my lower extremities are covered, and a blanket or duvet might be too heavy. So, to me, the top sheet comes in handy. Damn millennials think they know everything!

I recently treated myself to a 3-inch foam mattress topper by TemperPedic. I was told that you just sink into it and that I would certainly get a better night’s sleep this way. Sink is the appropriate word. It is like sleeping in quicksand. I can barely turn over, because once you “sink” and it conforms to your body shape, it doesn’t want to let you go. If I ever go back to using the weighted blanket with this thing, someone will have to send the EMTs into the house with the jaws of life to get me out of bed! Stay tuned for whether or not I am sleeping better. It is too soon to tell.

This might not be at the top of the list of great inventions of the last century, but I have to offer kudos to the inventor of the curved shower rod. The curtain stays comfortably away from your body while you are in the shower instead of creeping in on you. Why didn’t anyone think of that sooner?

I’m looking forward to the day when no one compliments me on my attractive mask.

My last house was on Joshua Drive, and it seemed that every time I was asked for my address, I was also asked to spell it. Now I am on Constitution Way, and, surprisingly, no one ever asks how to spell Constitution. Isn’t that harder to spell than Joshua?

I would not want to be a doctor because I would not want to have to sit on a little stool on wheels all day to do my job.

I just had to load staples in my stapler for the first time in years. I had to marvel at the efficient design of the box in which they are stored. It is simple cardboard and holds 5,000 staples. At the rate at which I go through staples, that quantity will last far beyond my lifetime. I had better call my attorney and put my stash of staples in my will!

If you know anything about the TV series “Dateline,” you know that all of the episodes involve a crime – generally, a murder. There is usually an obvious suspect and if it looks like the perpetrator will be arrested and convicted but there are still 30 minutes left in the show, expect some twists and turns. Someone will plead not guilty and concoct an amazingly creative tall tale about how he or she didn’t do it, couldn’t have done it or wasn’t even in the state at the time. My sister and I watch entirely too many of these programs, so when she mentioned she had seen a really good one, I asked her what it was about. “Well,” she said, trying to remember the story, “there was a murder.” Really? That doesn’t exactly narrow it down, but chances are that I’ve seen that one before!

Don’t you hate it when your favorite store is completely rearranged? We get so used to finding the breadcrumbs or gardening tools or electronics in specific places in stores we use frequently. Then one day, the section with junior sized clothes is where the men’s department used to be or shovels are where there used to be laundry supplies. I’m going to need a map! 

I think pistachio ice cream is deliberately disguised as chocolate chip mint to fool me into buying it. The cartons look eerily similar in the ice cream case. Not that I have tried it, but I resent the pistachio variety being right out front looking very similar to the chocolate chip mint, trying to fool the ice cream-buying public. Or is it just me?

Does anyone intentionally buy Neapolitan ice cream? Do you really want chocolate, vanilla and strawberry? Why – you can’t make up your mind? Personally, I always considered the pink stripe to be some sort of punishment. I’d always stick to chocolate, though I can accept vanilla, but all three? Let make up our minds, shall we?

As I start to resume normal activities following the pandemic quarantine, I notice the measures some businesses took to minimize the spread of the virus. I give them credit for trying, although I don’t know whether a single piece of plexiglass in front of the face of the person checking me in for my doctor’s appointment would serve as a real barrier. And the nail salon gets credit for a valiant try, but I doubt that installing those cheap paper shades (like the ones I had in the windows of my house until my custom shades were installed) in between pedicure stations served as any kind of barrier since they were small and flimsy. Hopefully, we will be done with needing these kinds of precautions and they can be removed permanently soon. As for me, I’m still wearing a mask in most places (except for restaurants) and I don’t mind since my trips are not usually all-day affairs.

Tina's June 2021 Movies & More

It is time for another compilation of those movies/TV shows and series that entertained me in June. Numbering picks up from previous months and programs marked with an asterisk* are ones I had not seen previously. Everything is rated on a scale of one to five cans of tuna, and more is better!

80.  The Story of Late Night* (2021, CNN) – I’m old enough to remember Steve Allen, Jack Parr and I certainly know Johnny Carson, the undisputed king of late-night TV. Carson and his competitors and then his successors made 11:30 PM the time when adults watched TV, as the hosts humorously expounded on the events of the day, poking fun of presidents and regular folks, chatted amiably with stars peddling their latest movies or music and relaxed us into sleep time. Today’s late-night stars, such as Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Steven Colbert, have tinkered with the formula, some (Colbert in particular) making the late-night format more acerbic. This six-part documentary series covers the birth of the genre through its middle ages through today, highlighting the fascinating competition between Jay Leno and David Letterman for the host position of “The Tonight Show,” the crown jewel of late night. Today a whole new wave of hosts reflects more of the diversity of the US and bring different points of view to their shows. I no longer regularly watch late night (I stopped when Jay Leno made fun of the OJ Simpson trial) but I recognize it as a unique form of comedy. I have never watched Colbert, Jon Stewart when he hosted “The Daily Show,” Chelsey Handler, Samantha Bee or Trevor Noah. Instead, I can catch clips of their best work online – which is the major change in the format. You no longer have to stay up late to watch late-night TV when you can get it any time of day on YouTube. But thanks for the memories of Johnny at his best with Bette Midler and animals from the San Diego Zoo, of Letterman and his Top 10 lists and James Corden with his hilarious Carpool Karaoke. 4 cans.
81.  Hacks* (2021, HBO Max) – If you remember Jean Smart from her befuddled, funny and warm character Charlene from “Designing Women,” you will not be surprised by her well-honed comedy chops in his series about a fading comedian whose career is largely behind her. Debra has been performing in Vegas for years, using mostly the same act, resembling a cross between Joan Rivers and Debbie Reynolds. When the club owner decides to drop her weekend gig and relegate her to weekdays, she reluctantly agrees to partner with Ava (Hannah Einbinder, the real-life daughter of Saturday Night Live OG Larraine Newman), a bright, insecure writer to juice up her act with some material from this century. Deb is a rich, haughty woman who is accustomed to stardom and having her way even as her star starts to fade. This series takes advantage of the unconventional relationship between the established master and the newcomer as they work together to make things funny and relevant in 2021. I’m definitely planning to watch Season 2 next year. 3½ cans.
82.  Beverly Hills Cop (1984, HBO) – The comedic genius of Eddie Murphy is on full display in this classic from early in his career. He plays Detroit-based cop Axel Foley, who heads to Beverly Hills to track down the killer of his old buddy. Foley is audacious, outrageous and very, very smart, as he works with and against the two cops (John Ashton and Judge Reinhold) assigned to keep an eye on him. He changes character on a dime and can outthink and outrage anyone who gets in his way. Aside from “Trading Places,” BHC is my favorite Eddie Murphy movie. Great ‘80s soundtrack, too. 4 cans.
83.  The White House: The Inside Story* (2016, PBS Documentary Channel) – Did you know that it took 19 years to build the White House? That it burned down practically to the ground during the War of 1812? That President Harry Truman moved out for a few years to allow the complete renovation of the structure, which was about to fall down? This documentary tells it all, from construction to organization, from the people who lived there and tell what it was like being there as a child to many of the people behind the scenes. I have read several books about how the White House is run and I admit to some strange fascination with the details of the People’s House, as presidents have called it. If the subject interests you (and you have a subscription to PBS Documentaries), this one’s for you. 3½ cans.
84.  Human: The World Within* (2021, Netflix) – This is a stunning six-part documentary about the functionality of the human body, told through beautiful animation and fascinating narration by doctors and scientists.  If schools taught human anatomy this way, more students would become doctors and scientists. The individual episodes focus on the nervous system, the senses, food and other equally interesting subjects. The program also features people whose stories are very relevant to the subject, such as a singer who is deaf and a man who lost his arm below the elbow and whose prosthesis is set up to respond in the way a human arm would. The human body is amazing, and so is this series. 4 cans.
85.  Fatherhood* (2021, Netflix) – Comedian Kevin Hart is Matt, a man very excited to become a first-time father with his beloved wife, Liz. But when Liz tragically dies soon after giving birth, Matt knows it is up to him to raise their daughter Maddy, a task even he doubts he is up to doing. His mother-in-law (Alfre Woodward) would love to get her hands on that baby girl, but Matt is determined to tackle the diapers and the complicated car seat and his daughter’s hair on his own. There are some laughs here, and the movie is good-hearted but not as good as Hart’s “The Upside.” Hart’s humor shines through at just the right time and he lends a real air of authenticity to a parent trying to balance work and life with fatherhood. 3½ cans.
86.  The Circle* (2017, Netflix) – In a world where information provides us with countless conveniences, it can also be intrusive and dangerous, as one young employee of an information technology company called The Circle finds out first-hand. Emma Watson is Mae, a young employee who agrees to participate in an experiment the company is conducting for the good of humanity (or some such BS) by wearing a tiny camera and sharing her life online with millions of followers. The consequences affect her parents, an old friend and others in her personal circle, as the power of technology takes over every aspect of her life. Tom Hanks plays the founder of The Circle with a Steve Jobs air of mystery and imagination, and the employees are cult-like in their admiration of his genius. When Mae admitted that she had just three minutes to use the bathroom with her camera off, I almost checked out of the movie, which I don’t recommend but will say is a cautionary tale of a future that is not so far-fetched. 3 cans.
87.  Parkland* (2013, Prime Video) – If you were around in 1963, you will never forget the chaos and tragedy surrounding the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who was shot in Dallas and transported to local Parkland Hospital. This movie is a dramatization of that terrible time, with attention focused on the Dallas Police, the Secret Service, the FBI and the staff at Parkland, whose doctors tried valiantly to save the President. The real people remain vivid in my mind – Lee Harvey Oswald, his scheming mother, his assassin, Jack Ruby, and Abe Zapruder, the man who captured the motorcade and the shot that killed Kennedy. There are swarms of men in dark suits and white shirts trying to figure out what was happening. I would rather have seen a documentary of the tragic events, but the acting was fine and the inclusion of real footage, including Walter Cronkite’s CBS news reports, made it more genuine. 3 cans.
88.  The Answer Man* (2009, Prime Video) – This story is essentially a Hallmark-type movie with a cast upgrade. Jeff Daniels plays recalcitrant writer Arlen Faber, noted for his highly popular book “Me and God,” which positions him as having all of the answers to people’s problems. Not only doesn’t he have the answers, but he doesn’t want to hear their questions. He is reclusive and grumpy and avoids interacting with people as much as possible. But when he throws out his back, he literally crawls to the local chiropractor’s office, where Elizabeth (Lauren Graham, perfectly cast) works on his adjustments. Soon the cantankerous author is smitten, but he can’t help but express his disdain for almost everything – except her young, fatherless child. I don’t want to spoil the plot (and we’ve seen it before, trust me), but this pleasant movie more or less squanders the talent of its cast with its meager plot. 3½ cans.
89.  Nothing in Common (1984, Movies Channel) – This movie doesn’t get much critical respect, but I love it. Tom Hanks is ad man David Basner, a fast-talking, creative guy working his way up in his agency and enjoying his youthful pursuits of good times and attractive women. When his parents (Jackie Gleason, who is terrific, and Eva Marie Saint) split up, David gets pulled in both directions and has to find a way to deal with his overbearing father Max, his demanding client (Sela Ward) and his life in general. His parents may have nothing in common anymore, but David and his womanizing father do, and when he recognizes that, will he change his ways? Can he care for both of his parents with the time and attention they deserve? This movie was aired as part of a Father’s Day marathon, and it fit into the lineup better than I thought. Bess Armstrong, an actress I have always found charming, is David’s first girlfriend, the only one his parents ever liked – and the only one he ever brought home. 4 cans.
90.  Some Kind of Heaven* (2020, Hulu) – This may be the single most depressing movie I have ever seen that wasn’t about the Holocaust – and I have “The Yearling” on my DVR. It is about The Villages, the massive (130,000 people) adult community in Florida that is marketed as Disney for adults. Residents have every kind of club, activity and amenity you can imagine. They tool around on golf carts, dance the nights away while they listen to live music and generally seem like college kids on the first few days of the semester, before classes start. But the people featured here are lonely or alone. Barbara is a widow who can’t seem to meet anyone (male or female) to form a lasting friendship. Dennis is a freeloader who lives in his van on the outskirts of the community while he hustles for handouts and seeks a warm bed from a wealthy widow inside. Reggie and his wife have been married for 47 years, but his erratic behavior is taking a toll on his otherwise supportive wife. If you are old enough to live in The Villages and if you are not a natural joiner, do not watch this documentary. You will want to take a permanent dip in the pool or run your golf cart into a tree. 3 cans because it isn’t a BAD movie but it sure is not fun to watch.
91.  In the Heights* (2021, HBO Max) – I haven’t seen this much exuberant dancing across the screen since the Sharks and Jets faced off at the gym or the staff at Kellerman’s showed us all about Dirty Dancing. This incredible pastiche of joy and love and Latin culture from the mind of Lin-Manuel Miranda bursts off the screen to tell the story of the people living in the Washington Heights, NY, neighborhood. It’s never easy, but the people here act like family. The plot is much less important than the feeling the story evokes and the dynamic performances by the entire cast, led by Anthony Ramos. This is one movie I wish I had seen in an actual theater instead of watching it on my 65” TV. 4 cans.
92.  Good on Paper* (2021, Netflix) – Andrea Singer (Iliza Schlesinger) is a stand-up comedian not thrilled with her lot in life. She wants a steady gig and a steady guy, and when Dennis Kelly (Ryan Hansen) meets her at the airport, she’s not averse to becoming friends with the friendly Yalie who runs a hedge fund – or so he says. But he never has her over to his house, or his mother has cancer so they can’t go out, or he can’t play golf because he hurt his back – this guy has a million legitimate sounding excuses, except that Andrea’s BFF (Margaret Cho) isn’t buying it. At first the premise seems cute, but it gets sticky and when Dennis starts manipulating the vulnerable Andrea, she doesn't know how to handle the situation. The movie is billed as mostly based on a true story, and you want to yell at the screen for Andrea to wake up and see this guy for the con artist he is. Sometimes we see in others what we want to see and fail to see things in ourselves that we should. 3 cans.
93.  Love, Sarah* (2020, Hulu) – BFFs Sarah and Isabella are about to open a bakery together in London when Sarah is killed in an accident. Isabella is left with all of the debts for the yet-to-open business and can’t get out of the contract. When Sarah’s daughter Clarissa decides she wants to drop out of her dance classes and partner with Isabella, there is still the money issue to be resolved, so she turns to her grandmother Mimi (Celia Imrie), who was estranged from Sarah for not supporting her in the first place. The three women team up with Sarah’s former boyfriend and cooking school mate Matthew to open their bakery and serve the community by finding out what kinds of goods are preferred by the diverse residents in the neighborhood. This movie was available for rent on Prime Video but free on Hulu, and I’m glad I didn’t spend money to see it. I anticipated a charming British movie with baked goods. Well, there were baked goods, but there wasn’t nearly enough charm. 3 cans.

I Can’t Shop for Shoes on Father’s Day

Lester Irving Gordon sold shoes for a living. We liked to tease him by saying, “There’s no business like shoe business,” sometimes sung in the style of Ethel Merman. I never picture him without a shoehorn sticking out of his back pocket. The last one he had I had framed, along with the worn-down silver dollar he always carried. It hangs in my house to this day.

He didn’t own the shoe store. He was just an employee. He was the salesman whom people waited for so he could wait on them. He fit mothers and their children expertly, and they didn’t mind waiting so that he could help them try on their Naturalizers and StrideRites. He knew them. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he received cards and letters from his customers, who wished him well and filled him in on their important life events. Bobby made it to middle school. Sally loved the shoes she wore to kindergarten. They shared their lives with the man who held their feet in his hands.

When my father died in June, 1983, just days short of Father’s Day – the day he was buried – our family received so many lovely notes from people sharing their memories of my father and how he touched their lives. He wasn’t a doctor who saved their lives. He just made sure they wore the right shoes so they would feel comfortable and happy. That was his gift.

Growing up, my sister and I never shopped for shoes. My father always checked out the wear and tear and brought home new ones for us to try on when the time was right. We all wore pretty basic shoes in those days – penny loafers, saddle shoes, Keds or PF Flyers – so it wasn’t a question of picking out something new or different. We simply restocked.

After my father died, his boss insisted that we return and shop in his store and he would always give us the shoes wholesale. We took him up on his offer for a while, more to maintain the connection than anything else, but eventually we felt like we were taking advantage of his kindness, so we started shopping – and buying – retail. The man my father worked for admired him as much as his customers.

My father never needed to wear English Leather cologne. On a busy day – especially after the sidewalk sales – he smelled of leather. To this day, when I go shoe shopping, I have to pick one up and surreptitiously take a sniff. I instantly feel the connection with my father.

So, I can’t shop for shoes on Father’s Day. After nearly 40 years, I still miss that smell of leather and that special man. Happy Father’s Day, Dad.